Saturday, January 28, 2012

You may remember this from last Sunday. Well, after some last minute glitches, and changes in plans, here are the finished products. (Again, NOT kid-friendly!)

I decided that since I was way behind on time (thanks to having an AWESOME night last night with a house full of my girlfriends, the last of whom left at 1am!) I probably shouldn't attempt another cake. I came up with 2 alternatives.

A) bake a sheet cake to put the original penis cake (which had been lovingly wrapped tight and gently placed in the freezer last Sunday) on orB) make cupcakes and put some type of penis on top of them.

It occurred to me that I should have asked my friend, who is throwing the party, for her penis molds that her mother and sister used for HER bachelorette party. Too late! But, I assumed I'd be able to find molds at Lover's Lane. There happens to be one about 5 minutes from my house.

Well, without boring you with all the details of my shopping trip, I ended up buying candy because they had no molds.

First, I bought these gummy penises.

I figured they'd be perfect for doing this:Shockingly, there are people in this world who don't like chocolate (the weirdos!!) so I made a few like this, too.I also found these little cuties at the register. They're like Runts. (Remember those?)I used them for the mini-cupcakes I made.Here's the finished cake. I think maybe I should have skipped the added stubble, huh?This hilarious little detail is an homage to my Grammy. But, that's a story for another day.Well, I'm off to get ready for the shower (which I'm already late for). The bachelorette party is pretty much immediately after the shower. I'm already tired just thinking about how long this night is going to be. I just may have to cut out early, and leave the partying to the youngsters.

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

This morning when I got to school, I looked into my school bag to get something, and I saw something odd. What's that?Well, look at that! Someone left a little note on my water bottle!AND on my book!Must be some residual effect from last week's anniversary. tee hee! When I got home from work, I found one more inside my laptop, on the screen. I know, I'm making you sick. Sorry.

Yesterday after school, I drove out to my brother's. My sister and my parents had been there all day, hogging up all the babyness! I picked up my niece, and Stud met us there after he got out of class.

I looked out my brother's balcony and saw all our cars parked in a row. I couldn't help but laugh when I realized that the two on the ends, my sister's and Stud's, are the same color, and the two in the middle, my parents' and mine, are the same color. They're ALL just different shades of gray/silver. I never realized how dull we were!I took a bunch of silly videos of my monkey. Thought I'd be nice and share one with you. :)

She's growing up way too fast!! She'll be walking before we know it. I love how it looks like she's actually standing on her own here. She almost is, really. My sister was just sort of balancing her. Ugh!! She's so darn cute!!!

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Saturday one of my besties is having a shower and bachelorette party for her sister. The shower is at her house, and then the bachelorette party will be at our bar. I was honored when she asked me to make the cake for the bachelorette party. Specifically, the PENIS cake.

Now, I've never attempted such a cake before, so I was anxious to see what I could come up with. And, this is it:

Now, of course, this isn't frosted yet. I was just trying to get the...um...shape right. Truthfully, it's a bit shorter than I had planned. I used a bread mold for the shaft (I figured I would fill in the grooves with frosting) but I took it out of the oven a little too soon, and one end was still a little raw. I cut it off and put the tip on. Perfect! I was planning to make a yellow or white cake for Saturday, but since this was the practice one (AKA, the one I get to eat!!) I made a chocolate one first. :)

I think it's actually pretty good. What do you think? If any of you have any ideas, PLEASE share!! I have until Saturday to make the perfect cake for the party.

*8:25 update*Hey, Jason and Mark! It just occurred to me that you two might be especially helpful! ;-) Seriously, give me some input, will ya!?

Thursday, January 19, 2012

21 years ago today, these two kids got married.Who the hell are these two old folks?!How did those two kids end up with a son who's a grown man, IN COLLEGE!!??By the way, I don't know what it says right now, as you read this, but as I typed this, my weather widget said it was 4 outside. Not 40, FOUR. It's about time.

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

...because someone started college today. Oh, yes he did. And, just like on his first day of preschool, I insisted on taking his picture.This is his "Mom, you are SUCH a dork!" face.The whole story behind this is yet one more thing that I had planned to include in The Post, but obviously I never got around to it. Maybe when I feel up to it...

On a related note, this is Monkey's "You talkin' to ME?!" face.Oh my LORD, I can't stand how adorable she is!!!!! Is it just me, or does she remind you of another baby you've seen?Well, except she's WAY cuter, of course!!

Monday, January 16, 2012

...from this and this. Here's another button I picked up today. Unfortunately, I don't even remember whose blog I stole it from. Sorry. If it was yours, please leave me a comment, so I can give you credit!I've always had a "thing" for pits, and have always been of the school that believes their bad rap is SO undeserved. I feel even more strongly about it since my brother rescued his pit three years ago. If I ever get another dog, it'll absolutely be a rescued pit. However, it may have to raise itself because I've promised to jump off a bridge before I EVER get another dog!

Here are a couple cute pictures of my brother's dog, just to remind you how cute he is!You may remember that my neighbor rescued her own pit this past summer. Here's an early puppy picture of Max. He's just about the same size as Pootz these days. I got the sweetest email today from my Bloggy Buddy, Debbie in Japan. Here's a little excerpt...

...okay....so, i was going through some pictures, getting a bit of organization accomplished when i came across this one and was wondering if i had actually sent it to you?? i honestly don't remember. ;-/

we were at one of our most favorite of stores and my youngest was like "you have GOT to see this" and drug me to another part of the store.

This was the photo attached:Can you even freakin' believe it?! Well, wait, some of you don't know this, but Deb is actually just as obsessed with flamingos as I am with penguins. You may remember that she sent me the coolest package a few months ago LOADED with penguin goodies. She freakin' rocks!!! A few weeks later, she sent me another prezzie.

My reply -

Are you freakin' SERIOUS?!?! You didn't stage that?? Awesome! I think it's a sign that we are destined to meet in person on day. :) Thanks for sending me the smile.

She emailed back -

right hand over my heart-left hand in the air swear that i did NOT stage that! awesome, right?!! even koji recognizes total coolness when he sees it!!! ;-D i'm not even really sure what the heck those two figures were doing together....but....i do recognize karma when i see it.....and yes...we WILL meet....someday!!!

I was stunned to read this yesterday. I can't even believe it. I can't believe two people that I've had the pleasure of "meeting" through this awesome place we call the Blogosphere, and who I truly consider "friends," are both having to deal with such discrimination. It makes my heart break. And my blood boil.

Saturday, January 14, 2012

I have this weird habit of lifting pictures/badges/buttons I discover and like from other blogs. Sometimes I share them right away, but usually, they just sit on my desktop, taking up space. I thought I'd put a bunch here today, so I can finally clean up my desktop a bit.

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

I'm sitting here at my kitchen table, listening to the dishwasher, and checking in with all my Bloggy Buddies. Today's reading provided quite a roller coaster ride of emotions, from a sweet high to the lowest of low. Check it out if you have time.

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

(I'm watching the 10 o'clock news right now)*This is the first year since 1939 that Shoreline Sightseeing Boat Tours have run in January.*The animals at Brookfield Zoo where let outside today. The poor giraffes were confused because they normally have to wait for April for their spring run.

It was in the 50s again today. Jerry Taft just said it going to be 50 again tomorrow.

Saturday, January 7, 2012

Apparently, no one gave you a calendar for Christmas this year. It's the only way to explain why the HELL it was 57 here yesterday. FIFTY-FREAKIN-SEVEN. I see that you are not aware that yesterday was January 6. As a matter of fact, it's been in the 50s here for almost a week. Again, it's January, NOT April. WAKE UP, LADY!!!

Now, in all fairness, not everyone here minds the 50s in January. Most of the people I saw out and about yesterday were walking around with big smiles and without coats. Naturally, there were even some running around in shorts and flip-flops. Despite the fact that you also chose to make it incredibly sunny everyday for the past week, I surprisingly didn't see anyone trying to tan, but that's probably because I didn't look hard enough.

Now, the folks down in Florida, who SHOULD have been tanning were dealing with 20s this week. What the hell is wrong with you?! Are you PMSing this week?

Let me guess - you're gonna send them our snow, too, right? I've given up on waiting for it around here. Thanks for NOT giving us a White Christmas. Nice goin', beeoch! You can keep it now. For some reason, I think you're saving it all up to dump on us all at once like you did last year. Should we be bracing for The Blizzard 2012? (Well, ok, truthfully, I wouldn't mind a few snow days like we had last year, but still. I'm fairly certain I'm in the minority on that one.)

OK, Missy, you are officially on notice. I want winter, and I want it now! Get off your lazy butt and get to work. And, please, ignore the rest of the people here who keep singing your praises and talking about how awesome this winter has been so far. They're idiots.

Sincerely,Sweating in ChiTown

~*~*~*~*~

Thank you so much to all my Bloggy Buddies who left comments and have been emailing me and asking about my daddy. I can't tell you how much your caring/concern/support/prayers mean to me. My Bloggy Buddies rock!!

I'm sorry I haven't really been back to update, and I didn't mean to leave you hanging. For now, Daddy seems to be fine. In the windup, they now think it wasn't a mini-stroke after all, but rather a bizarre incident related to his diabetes. They've taken him off his medication for now, but told him he may end up having to give himself insulin injections in the future. He's not thrilled about that. I think if it comes down to it, he'll have to get the pump, which would be the best thing for him. He is SO bad about monitoring his blood sugar levels, and he doesn't always watch his diet the way he should. The pump would monitor things for him, and dispense the proper amount of insulin when needed. He's already complaining because he has to check his blood sugar level several times a day now. We were lucky if he did a couple times a month! Argh! What are we going to do with him?

The weather here really has been nice. I'm going to try and make the most of my last weekend of Christmas break, before getting back to the grind on Monday. I wonder who I could convince to go to the zoo with me? Anyone? Anyone? Poop....

I think I'm going to try and get some quality kissy time with this little darling instead.

Sunday, January 1, 2012

I had every intention of posting this weekend, and wishing all my Bloggy Buddies a very Happy New Year. I was even going to gush a little about how CSJ and I got to spend the first NYE together since before Stud was born, and how nice it was, etc...

Yeah, well, the best laid plans....

THIS is the gang just after midnight.

Yes, that IS a hospital room, and my daddy IS in a gown. We spent the entire day at the hospital. After about 8 hours in the ER, we finally got him in a room. VERY long story short, we were told he had had a mini-stroke. Happy fuckin' New Year, right? I'm not up to it today, but maybe I'll share details tomorrow.

One "nice" thing - my dad's room was on the 9th floor of the hospital. This was the view out his window. We had a lovely view of beautiful Oak Lawn. haha! We DID have a beautiful view, however, of the incredible fireworks that started at midnight and went for nearly 20 minutes. We could see firework both near and far, it was amazing. My niece was trying to capture the fireworks, and managed to take about 5 pictures like the one above. They're still pretty pictures, though.

My daddy had a corner room, and the hospital has a glass corridor that connects the East/West and North/South wings. We could see the corridor from his room. My niece went out to take pictures from there of the fireworks, and snapped this picture of me and Daddy watching them.

I'm too wiped out to write anymore, so I'll be back later. I'm off to go see my daddy.